General Facts about Lombok

The Province of Nusa Tenggara BaratProvincial capital:
Mataram (Lombok)

Districts:
Dompu, West Lombok, Central Lombok, East Lombok, Sumbawa, West Sumbava, Mataram, Bima

Population:
4.1 million; about 3 million live in Lombok.

Religion:
Islam 91,6%, Hindu 5,9%, Others 2,5%

LOMBOK

Lombok is an island in the West Nusa Tenggara province (Nusa Tenggara means the ‘southeast islands’), and is located between Bali and Sumbawa in the eastern part of Indonesia. Mataram is the administrative capital and largest city on the island and has about 250 000 inhabitants. The population in Lombok is about 3 million, and the majority, 91%, are Muslims. Hindus make up about 6%, while Christians about 1.5%.

Most of the Muslims belong to the local ethnic group called Sasak. They are Muslims, but in some areas their Islam is coloured by the animist traditions. Although it seems like the different religious groups live side by side in perfect harmony, there are indicators that point toward a more complex reality. For instance there was a riot in 2000, where churches and shops and houses of Christians were burned.

Agriculture, fishing and textiles are the main sources of income in Lombok. However, Lombok has a great tourism potential but is less known and visited by foreigners than the neighbour island of Bali. In recent years, Lombok has been working to increase its visibility to tourists. Unfortunately, religious and ethnic violence, which at times has characterized Lombok, makes it a challenge to attract tourists. This shows that Lombok has to face many challenges to develop economic growth.

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